Group 1: Resources for Lifelong Learning – Understanding Time in Adult Learning

Prof. Dr Sabine Schmidt-Lauff

Participating in lifelong learning always involves making and taking time for development. The questionof how to increase participation in adult education is at the top of national and European researchand policy agendas. Resources for lifelong learning are normally orientated on economic aspects(money). In this group we focus on resources in an alternative way, arguing that the dimensionof time has been neglected or simply taken for granted.In concrete terms, this group looks at what countries do (on different levels) to mobilize time as aresource for lifelong learning in order to foster adults' participation. Please prepare the following aspectsin your essay regarding your home country:

1. Research results/the current situation regarding the use of the resources time and temporality(see e.g. EU Adult Education Survey).For example:

• How much time (days, hours) do adults spend in educational activities? 
• And how often per year?
• To what extent do adults use their own resources to pay for educational activities? 
• Who else bears the costs (see e.g. 2012 CEDEFOP report about 'paid educational leave')?
• What do we know about the quality of time and the experience of temporalities during lifelonglearning processes ('life course' vs. 'lifecycle')? 
• How does it differ between different phases ofadulthood (e.g. 'rush hour of life' vs. 'retirement')?
• How is learning time interwoven with time for other actions?

2. Policies and basic legislation: What legislative background exists concerning time for lifelonglearning (paid educational leave, training leave, etc.)? What political actions and developments can be observed in your country?

3. Specific programmes, projects or activities for different target groups: Are there any special programmes, projects and activities concerning time resources?

4. Role and influence of other actors (children, family, enterprises, social environment, the need forrelaxation, etc.)?

5. How is time defined and experienced in our 'modern society': cyclical (circadian); natural flow;between past - present - future; social time vs. individual time, etc.?